Application of sos/umuc assay in eco/genotoxicology

Introduction. The SOS/umuC assay is used for assessment of water genotoxicity. Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 is used in this test, but the results can be extrapolated on higher eukaryotic organisms with the introduction of enzymatic S9 fraction in experimental procedure. The test is standardised for the determination of the genotoxic potential of water and wastewater (ISO/DIS 13829, 2000). Aim. Sensitivity of the assay was challenged by using parallel in situ and in vitro approach in evaluation of the genotoxic potential in the basins of significant tributaries of the Danube River: the Sava River and the Velika Morava River. Materials and methods. Within in vitro testing, native water samples were analysed by SOS/umuC test. DNA damage in situ was assessed in bleak (Alburnus alburnus) erythrocytes by the comet and micronucleus assays. The concentration of heavy metals in fish tissue and the data of the physico-chemical parameters measured in water were used as a measure of the pollution pressure at the sites. Results. Results showed that applied in vitro tests with native water samples are less sensitive in comparison with in situ tests. None of 20 investigated samples showed genotoxic potential in SOS/umuC assay while in situ analyses indicated variation of genotoxic potential among the investigated sites. Conclusions. The results of our study point towards low sensitivity of the SOS/umuC test when processing un-concentrated (native) water samples; the results of in vitro tests should be taken with precaution when making predictions on the status of the ecosystem

Vertebroplasty – High Viscosity Cement versus Low Viscosity Cement

The patients with intensive pain caused by the vertebra body fracture were treated by application of low viscosity cement (LVC),(Vertebroplastic, DePuy) and high viscosity cement (HVC),(Confidence, DePuy,) into the body, by means of diascopy through unilateral transpendicular approach. Application of LVC was made in 75 patients, on 109 vertebrae, and HVC was applied in 12 patients on 14 vertebrae. Application of LVC was performed on 48 thoracic and 61 lumbar vertebrae and 5 thoracic and 9 lumbar vertebrae were stabilized with HVC. 43 patients were treated for malignancy and in 38 for osteoporosis. For LVC, preoperative VAS score was 8.32 and 2.23 (p<0.00001) 24 hours after surgery, and it remained stable 3 month later. For HVC, preoperative VAS score was 7.99 and it was 2.5 (p<0.00001) 24 hours after surgery and 3 months later. In the group of patients treated with LVC, there was 1 serious complication, a paraparesis caused by the leakage of cement into the spinal canal, which was partially recovered after decompression and rehabilitation treatment and 2 superificial infections with S. epidermidis which were cured by means of antibiotics. In 32 vertebrae (32) cement leakage extra ossal, either into vein plexus or intradiscal during surgery were noticed. When HVC was applied, intradiscal leakage occurred in one case onl (8%). By means od Wilcoxon paired test a significant difference was found between the preoperative VAS, and the values immediately after surgery and 3 months later (Z=7.52, p<0.00001) when LVC was applied., and with HVC it was (Z=3.04, p<0.00001), which indicates that the fast achieved pain reduction remained stable during the 3 month follow-up. The vertebroplasty is a safe and efficient surgical method in treatment of compressive vertebrae fractures which do not react to the conventional method of treatment. This method, when HVC is applied, shows significantly less complications related to cement leakage

Application of sos/umuc assay in eco/genotoxicology

Introduction. The SOS/umuC assay is used for assessment of water genotoxicity. Salmonella typhimurium TA1535/pSK1002 is used in this test, but the results can be extrapolated on higher eukaryotic organisms with the introduction of enzymatic S9 fraction in experimental procedure. The test is standardised for the determination of the genotoxic potential of water and wastewater (ISO/DIS 13829, 2000). Aim. Sensitivity of the assay was challenged by using parallel in situ and in vitro approach in evaluation of the genotoxic potential in the basins of significant tributaries of the Danube River: the Sava River and the Velika Morava River. Materials and methods. Within in vitro testing, native water samples were analysed by SOS/umuC test. DNA damage in situ was assessed in bleak (Alburnus alburnus) erythrocytes by the comet and micronucleus assays. The concentration of heavy metals in fish tissue and the data of the physico-chemical parameters measured in water were used as a measure of the pollution pressure at the sites. Results. Results showed that applied in vitro tests with native water samples are less sensitive in comparison with in situ tests. None of 20 investigated samples showed genotoxic potential in SOS/umuC assay while in situ analyses indicated variation of genotoxic potential among the investigated sites. Conclusions. The results of our study point towards low sensitivity of the SOS/umuC test when processing un-concentrated (native) water samples; the results of in vitro tests should be taken with precaution when making predictions on the status of the ecosystem

Assessment of computed tomography simulators used in radiotherapy treatment planning in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina

The purpose of this work was to evaluate computed tomography simulators used in radio-therapy treatment planning in Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. A survey of quality assurance programmes of 24 computed tomography simulators in 16 facilities was conducted. A dedicated CT-to-ED phantom was scanned at 120 kV and 140 kV, to obtain CT-to-ED conversion curves as well as CTDIvol. Thoracal phantoms were scanned in the standard and extended field of view to evaluate the dosimetric effect on treatment planning and delivery. The mean age of the measured scanners was 5.5 years. The mean water HU value was –6.5 (all scanners, all voltages) and air HU value was –997. Extended field of view computed tomography data differ from the standard field of view and differences between conversion curves have significant dosimetric impact. The CTDI data showed a large range of values between centers. Better quality assurance of computed tomography simulators in all countries is recommended. The CT-to-ED curve could be used as default at one voltage and per manufacturer. Extended field of view imaging can be used, but treatment planning should be avoided in the regions out of the standard field of view

Making waves: collaboration in the time of SARS-CoV-2 - rapid development of an international co-operation and wastewater surveillance database to support public health decision-making

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater was first reported in March 2020. Over the subsequent months, the potential for wastewater surveillance to contribute to COVID-19 mitigation programmes has been the focus of intense national and international research activities, gaining the attention of policy makers and the public. As a new application of an established methodology, focused collaboration between public health practitioners and wastewater researchers is essential to developing a common understanding on how, when and where the outputs of this non-invasive community-level approach can deliver actionable outcomes for public health authorities. Within this context, the NORMAN SCORE "SARS-CoV-2 in sewage" database provides a platform for rapid, open access data sharing, validated by the uploading of 276 data sets from nine countries to-date. Through offering direct access to underpinning meta-data sets (and describing its use in data interpretation), the NORMAN SCORE database is a resource for the development of recommendations on minimum data requirements for wastewater pathogen surveillance. It is also a tool to engage public health practitioners in discussions on use of the approach, providing an opportunity to build mutual understanding of the demand and supply for data and facilitate the translation of this promising research application into public health practice. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relacije nekih hematoloških varijabli i konativnih faktora pretpostavljenih Nebilicinovom teorijom o karakteristikama nervnog sistema

The aim of this research was to investigate the relation between biological and mental functioning of a human. It has been carried out at the sample of 94 male subjects, 20 to 25 years of age, clinically in good health and positively selected considering the functions of cognitive processors and connative regulators by standard apparatus for biochemical blood analysis. Twelve haematological variables were tested, and by means of psychological tests six connative factors were determined suggested by Nebylitzin’s theory of neural system characteristics. At the level of cross-correlations of hematological and connative variables transformed in Qspleens, a rather high negative correlation of creatine kinase and neural system inhibition power is dominant, which is connected to important positive correlations of creatine kinase with the sensitivity and flexibility of neural system. This means, at least at the level of this analysis, that creatine kinase inhibits neural system inhibiting functions, but does not have any important impact on the power of activating functions, or the disbalance of excitation-inhibiting processes, which can be seen from its irrelevant correlations with the neural system activation power and with neuroticism and instability of neural system. However, neuroticism is considerably connected with alanin amino transferases and potassium, but these connections are numerically rather low. Other correlations of neuroticism with this set of haematological variables are not important, but there are still systematic negative correlations with hematocrit and thrombocyte measures; the fact that these correlations have just approximated the chosen level of importance can be a consequence of operational definition of neuroticism in Nebylitzin model, which similarly to Gilford model, actually treats neuroticism as a consequence of basic anxiety. As far as other correlations are concerned, only positive correlation between proteins and sensitivity of neural system is important; therefore, the sensitivity of neural system depends largely on convergent action of proteins and creatine kinase. The data were then processed by non-linear method of canonic correlation analysis, canonic analysis of co-variances and nuclear analysis. The results of all three analyses carried out converged towards the same conclusion: inhibitory power of neural system together with lowered sensitivity, flexibility and lower neurotic condition was under negative influence of creatine kinase, alanin amino transferase, potassium and proteins, while the inhibitory form of neuroticism was under lower but still considerable negative influence of all haematological factors, which were relevant for biological resistance of an organism. Three various and complex statistic procedures have been used in order to investigate in as much detail as possible the connection between the important biological characteristics of organism and personality characteristics. Such researches are rather rare and represent an important contribution to the knowledge concerning the relation between physiological and mental levels of human functioning.Na uzorku od 94 ispitanika muškog pola, od 20 do 25 godina, klinički zdravih i pozitivno selekcionisanih obzirom na funkcije kognitivnih procesora i konativnih regulatora analizirane su relacije 12 izabranih hematoloških varijabli i 6 konativnih faktora pretpostavljenih Nebilicinovom teorijom o karakteristikama nervnog sistema nelinearnim metodama kanoničke korelacijske analize, kanoničke analize kovarijansi i nuklearne analize. Rezultati sve tri provedene analize konvergirali su prema istom zaključku: inhibitorna snaga nervnog sistema, povezana sa smanjenom osetljivošću, fleksibilnošću i nižim neurotizmom, pod jakim je negativnim uticajem kreatin kinaze, alanin amino transferaze, kalijuma i belančevina, dok je inhibitorna forma neurotičnosti pod nešto manjim, ali još uvek znatnim negativnim uticajem svih hematoloških faktora od kojih zavisi biološka otpornost organizma. Tri različita i složena statistička postupka upotrebljena su da bi se što detaljnije ispitalo u kakvoj su vezi važne biološke karakteristike organizma i osobina ličnosti. Ovakva istraživanja su veoma retka i predstavljaju bitan doprinos u pravcu dolaženja do saznanja odnosu fiziološke i mentalne ravni ljudskog funkcionisanja

Evaluating the transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 from sewage pollution

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated sewage has been confirmed in many countries but its incidence and infection risk in contaminated waters is poorly understood. The River Thames in the UK receives untreated sewage from 57 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), with many discharging dozens of times per year. This study investigated if such discharges provide a pathway for environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Samples of wastewater, surface water, and sediment collected close to six CSOs on the River Thames were assayed over eight months for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and infectious virus. Bivalves were also sampled as an indicator species of viral bioaccumulation. Sediment and water samples from the Danube and Sava rivers in Serbia, where raw sewage is also discharged in high volumes, were assayed as a positive control. No evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA or infectious virus was found in UK samples, in contrast to RNA positive samples from Serbia. Furthermore, this study shows that infectious SARS-CoV-2 inoculum is stable in Thames water and sediment for <3 days, while SARS-CoV-2 RNA is detectable for at least seven days. This indicates that dilution of wastewater likely limits environmental transmission, and that detection of viral RNA alone is not an indication of pathogen spillover

Evaluating the transmission risk of SARS-CoV-2 from sewage pollution

The presence of SARS-CoV-2 in untreated sewage has been confirmed in many countries but its incidence and infection risk in contaminated waters is poorly understood. The River Thames in the UK receives untreated sewage from 57 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs), with many discharging dozens of times per year. This study investigated if such discharges provide a pathway for environmental transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Samples of wastewater, surface water, and sediment collected close to six CSOs on the River Thames were assayed over eight months for SARS-CoV-2 RNA and infectious virus. Bivalves were also sampled as an indicator species of viral bioaccumulation. Sediment and water samples from the Danube and Sava rivers in Serbia, where raw sewage is also discharged in high volumes, were assayed as a positive control. No evidence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA or infectious virus was found in UK samples, in contrast to RNA positive samples from Serbia. Furthermore, this study shows that infectious SARS-CoV-2 inoculum is stable in Thames water and sediment for <3 days, while SARS-CoV-2 RNA is detectable for at least seven days. This indicates that dilution of wastewater likely limits environmental transmission, and that detection of viral RNA alone is not an indication of pathogen spillover

Impact of pollution on rivers in Montenegro: Ecotoxicological perspective

Montenegrin surface water and groundwater are important for the Balkan Peninsula since they are connected by the transboundary Dinaric Karst Aquifer System with the waters of additional five countries. The pollution from the surface water can rapidly infiltrate in aquifer and endanger this sensible ecosystem and the health of humans through drinking water supply. This chapter gives insights in the pressures of pollution on Montenegrin waters and in a limited literature data regarding freshwater ecotoxicological studies in Montenegro. Also, this chapter provides new ecotoxicological data obtained during survey in 2019, with a focus on the sites which are identified as hotspots of fecal pollution. The highest responses of biomarkers which indicate embryotoxic, genotoxic, and phytotoxic effects in zebrafish embryo test and in roots of Allium cepa were obtained at Ćehotina – downstream of Pljevlja. Similar results were detected at the site downstream Mojkovac at Tara, yet this site is affected by different type of pollution. Genotoxic endpoints in zebrafish stressed out sites on Morača and Lim rivers which are under pressures of fecal pollution. The data in this chapter provides an insight into current status obtained by the ex situ bioassays and indicates need for more comprehensive in situ assessment